Simple Quality Ingredients = Simply Delicious

One thing I have learned since I started cooking is that quality ingredients really pay off in the end result of the dish. I try to use fresh herbs, imported olive oil and I only use Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese in my dishes. It really makes a difference and the extra money for the quality ingredients truly equates to extra flavor. I was attracted to the following recipe because of its ease of preparation and incorporation of some of our favorite ingredients. Despite its bold flavor, I would not make this dish as the main course again - I felt that it was more of side dish. Forrest went crazy for it though and it was great for throwing together after work with minimal effort.

Campanelle with Prosciutto and Parmesan
Cooking Light September 2007

Ingredients

1/2 pound uncooked cavatappi (I used campanelle b/c I couldn't find cavatappi)
Cooking spray
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 ounce very thin slices prosciutto, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shaved fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preparation
Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 3 tablespoons cooking liquid. (I used probably 1/2 a cup of the cooking liquid to make the pasta more moist)

Heat pan over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add garlic to pan, and sauté 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add reserved 3 tablespoons cooking liquid and pasta to pan; let stand 2 minutes. Stir in parsley, oil, salt, pepper, and prosciutto; sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately.